Saudi Arabia Makes COVID-19 Booster Shot Mandatory to Enter Public Places

Saudi Arabia stresses the importance of full vaccination and receiving the booster shot to ward off the coronavirus. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia stresses the importance of full vaccination and receiving the booster shot to ward off the coronavirus. (SPA)
TT

Saudi Arabia Makes COVID-19 Booster Shot Mandatory to Enter Public Places

Saudi Arabia stresses the importance of full vaccination and receiving the booster shot to ward off the coronavirus. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia stresses the importance of full vaccination and receiving the booster shot to ward off the coronavirus. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that the number of people infected with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is on the rise in the Kingdom.

Abdulrahman al-Hussein, spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce, said only people who have taken all their vaccine jabs, as well as a booster shot, will be allowed to enter facilities, commercial centers, malls, restaurants and cafes.

The decision will be effective from Feb. 2022.

Access to commercial centers and major facilities is now possible by scanning an automated verification barcode, and each establishment is required to assign monitors to ensure shoppers are following the rules, he stressed.

He warned against any non-compliance to the health measures, such as wearing masks, checking health status on the Tawakkalna app and disinfecting all surfaces, especially shopping trolleys and baskets after each use.

The supervisory teams in the ministry continue to monitor compliance with the measures, Hussein stressed.

In December, more than 70,000 inspection rounds were carried out, in which more than 700 violations were detected.

Health Ministry spokesman Dr. Mohammed Abdelali said omicron has now been detected in nearly 115 countries around the world.

He stressed that addressing the pandemic requires compliance with precautionary measures, such as completing all the coronavirus vaccine doses, including the booster shot, and implementing all protocols recently announced by the competent authorities.

The booster shot has been made available for people aged 16 and above and three months after they received the second jab.

Saudi Arabia has administered over 49,550,000 COVID vaccine shots at 587 vaccination centers.



UAE Arrests Suspects Involved in Killing of Moldovan National

UAE flag flies over a boat at Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates May 22, 2015. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo
UAE flag flies over a boat at Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates May 22, 2015. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo
TT

UAE Arrests Suspects Involved in Killing of Moldovan National

UAE flag flies over a boat at Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates May 22, 2015. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo
UAE flag flies over a boat at Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates May 22, 2015. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo

Three people have been arrested in the United Arab Emirates in connection with the alleged murder of a man, Zvi Kogan, who entered the country using his Moldovan nationality, the Emirati interior ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
The statement said that a search and investigation team was formed after the family of the victim filed a report about his disappearance. The investigations led to the discovery of the missing person's body and the identification of the perpetrators. They were arrested, and the necessary legal procedures were initiated.
It added that the details of the incident will be disclosed once the investigations are complete.
The statement emphasized that all legal powers would be used "to respond decisively and without leniency to any actions or attempts that threaten societal stability".
“The UAE, throughout all its institutions, will spare no effort to prevent any attacks on its nationals, residents, and visitors. The entire security agencies are working around the clock to protect societal stability and ensure the continued highest levels of security and safety, which have been firmly established since the founding of the country”, affirmed the ministry.